The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath, has secured Government approval for Ireland’s two draft ERDF Programmes for the period 2021 – 2027. The two ERDF Programmes set out Ireland’s investment strategy for a fund totalling €853m, of which €396m is financed by the EU. The ERDF supports Irish regions in promoting economic, social and territorial cohesion in line with key EU priorities.
Following approval by the Government, the draft ERDF Programmes will now be formally submitted to the EU Commission for its review and final negotiations. Commission approval and adoption of the Programmes is anticipated before the end of the year. The Regional programmes will focus investment on the following key strategic outcomes:
- Developing Smarter More Competitive Regions by building RD&I capacity within the public research institutions in our regions, by accelerating the translation of cutting-edge research into commercial applications at a regional level, by supporting innovation diffusion and by strengthening regional innovation ecosystems in line with Ireland's Smart Specialisation Strategy and the Regional Enterprise Plans.
- Creating Greener More Energy Efficient Regions and a Just Transition by focusing on scaling up investment in actions that improve the energy efficiency of residential homes while targeting homeowners in, or at risk of, energy poverty.
- Supporting Sustainable Urban Development in our Regions by taking an integrated strategic approach to the regeneration of our towns using a Town Centres First Framework.